Within the present disclosure, the terms: shower curtain, shower liner, curtain, and liner are used interchangeably to denote both shower curtains and shower liners. Water can accumulate between the curtain and an adjacent surface such as the tub or shower basin. In the presence of soap, shampoo, biological matter (such as skin cells), and air borne material such as spores, to be referred to as foreign bodies, can accumulate and become trapped between the curtain and the adjacent surface or any surface in the vicinity of the curtain. Surface tension of the water can keep the shower curtain adhered to the adjacent surface. As a result, foreign bodies, which includes but is not limited to the bacteria, mold, mildew, fungi, or any other microorganism, form in the presence of liquid, grow, and propagate.
One or more bathrooms in residences has a tub or shower. A basin for a shower has a substantially flat-bottomed vessel surrounded by one or more walls that extend in an upward direction with an installed shower head, used for bathing purposes. In an effort to reduce shower spray and flooding that can result from shower basin use, a shower rod is provided near the top side of an open side of the enclosure from which a shower curtain can be hung via shower rings or other fasteners. Or, in some alternatives, the shower curtain, or liner, has larger holes so that it can be threaded onto the shower rod without the use of fasteners. The curtain is typically aligned to hang downward and a bottom edge of the curtain runs parallel to the flat-bottomed vessel. The bottom edge of the shower curtain hangs within the enclosure associated with the shower basin so that water that hits the curtain falls into the shower basin. The shower curtain is maintained as close as practical to the outer edge of the enclosure so that a person showering has as much room to move about as possible. The curtain drapes below an upper edge of the shower basin or tub and typically contacts the inner surface of the tub (or shower basin).
Growth of foreign bodies on shower curtains is a common problem associated with the use of a shower basin. In environments of high humidity, e.g., in the absence of adequate ventilation.
Various solutions have been described in the prior art. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,049920, a shower curtain spacer is attached to the rim of the bathtub or shower stall to hold a shower curtain away from the rim. The spacers intrude in the shower space allowing less room for the occupant. Additionally, as the spacers coupled to the tub or shower stall make it more cumbersome to clean the tub or shower enclosure. Furthermore, the mildew or other foreign bodies may grow upon the spacers themselves. Likewise, other prior art solutions have drawbacks.